Stoelzle Glass Group’s new CEO Dr. August Grupp on investments, pilot projects and product expansion
2023/11/23
In September 2023, Dr. August Grupp was appointed CEO of Stoelzle Glass Group, succeeding Georg Feith. A member of the owner family, he initially joined the group in 2019 as Head of Business Unit Spirits. Formes de Luxe caught up with Grupp at LUXE PACK Monaco in October, to find out more about his development priorities for the Austrian glassmaker.
What is Stoelzle Glass Group’s growth strategy?
August Grupp : We want to expand our product offering, notably through stock models and decoration. At LUXE PACK Monaco we introduced the Signature collection, our first range of stock bottles for spirits. While we entered the spirits market in the 2000s, we are a latecomer to stock models. Our aim here is to offer broader access to premium stock bottles, which means we can accommodate very small MOQs – as low as 500 bottles.
The Signature collection is composed of three lines: Eco, Status and Heritage. Eco comprises lightweighted bottles with a straight and minimalist design; Status features designs with a bit more character such as square bottles with rounded edges, for example, and our Lux bottle that stands on an elevated base. The Heritage line consists of the Luca bottle, weighing just 850g and targeting super-premium and ultra-premium products.
The Luca bottle in Stoelzle’s Heritage collection targets ultra-premium products ©Stoelzle Glass Group
How much does spirits weigh in your activity?
AG: Spirits accounts for around 45% of sales, and perfumery and cosmetics makes up around 18% of revenue. Our multiple axes supported by dedicated business units – Spirits, Specialties, Perfumery & Cosmetics and Pharma – is one of the group’s strengths.